Crank case oil heater



Jan. 17, 1933. w. H. PINGREY 1,894,887

CRANK CASE OIL HEATER Filed April 22. 1951 Patented Jan. 17, 1933 PATENTOFFICE- WILSON HUDSON PINGREY, OF BLAIRSTOWN, IOWA CRANK CASE OIL HEATERApplication filed. April 22, 1931.

This invention relates to oil heaters, and more particularly to oilheaters designed for use in heating the oil contained in the crankcasings of motor vehicles.

The primary object of the invent-ion is to provide a heater of thischaracter which may be readily and easily inserted through the breatherpipe or filling opening of an internal combustion engine, to heat theoil contained in the crank casing and thaw ice formations which usuallyclog the oil pipes and feed ducts to prevent the proper circulation ofthe lubricating oil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater of this characterincluding a heating element and a casing for the heating element toguard against damage to the heating element, should the heater bedropped or struck while it is being positioned or removed.

VVith the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made Within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a crank casing, illustrating an oilheater constructed in accordance with the invention, as positioned inthe oil of the crank casing.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the heater.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the heating element.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4=l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the heating element.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the device comprises an inner member5 constructed Serial No. 532,039.

of suitable insulating material, and as shown, is provided with aplurality of cut out portions defining longitudinal grooves orcompartments for the reception of the resistance coil 6, which is of theusual and well known construction.

One end of the resistance coil 6 is secured to the inner member at 7from where it passes through the cut out portion 8 at the opposite endof the inner member and returns towards the connection 7 from where itpasses diagonally through the inner member 5, as shown by Figure 4 ofthe drawing, through the passageway at the opposite side of the innermember, and through a notch formed in one end of the inner member, fromwhere it extends to a point near the connection 7 where it is secured tothe inner member 5. The inner member and resistance coil, are encased inthe tubular casing 9, which has open ends to permit the free circulationof oil therethrough. Openings are formed throughout the length ofthecasing and disposed in spaced relation with respect to each other, theopenings falling opposite to the cut out portions or longi tudinalgrooves of the inner member, so that oil may pass laterally into thecasing, after the circulation is set up.

Substantially large openings are formed near one end of the tubularcasing and accommodate the right angled end 10 of the supporting rod 11,so that the heating member may be readily and easily handled, inpositioning the heating element. A right angled portion 12 is formed atone end of the rod 11, and provides a rest to engage over one edge ofthe filling opening of the crank casing, indicated in the presentshowing by the reference character 13. The wires 14, which are connectedwith the resistance coil 8, extend to a suitable source of electricitysupply, which may be controlled by aswitch not shown.

Openings are also formed near the upper end of the inner member toregister with the large openings near one end of the tubular casing, sothat when the right angled end 10 of the rod 11 is passed through thealigning openings, the inner member will be securely held within thecasing.

In the'use of the device, the closure of the breather pipe or fillingopening of the crank casing, is removed, and the heater passed ,into thecrank casing, through the breather pipe or filling opening.

The electric circuit to the heater is 110W completed, causing theelectric current to pass through the resistance coil, which causes theresistance coil to become heated, heating 15 the oil and frozencondensation within the crank casing and pipe lines, to free'theoil andallow the same to circulate freely.

I claim:

A portable electric heater to be submerged .in liquid, comprising atubular member having open ends, an inner member fitted within thetubular member and held within the tubular member by frictional contact,said inner member being constructed of insulating material and havinglongitudinal grooves providing compartments with the tubular member, aresistance coil, one end of the resistance coil being secured to theinner member near one end thereof, said inner member having grooves inone end thereof in which the intermediate portion of the coil is held,said tubular member having openings opposite to the compartments toallow liquids to pass therethrough, a rod having an offset lower portionterminating in a right angled end extended through openings in thetubular member, and the opposite end of the rod extending laterally tofit over the upper end of the filling opening of the crank case in 40which the heater is positoned, to support the heater in an uprightposition.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atfixedmy signature.

v 7 WILSON HUDSON PINGREY.

